Official Blog of Author MICHAEL THOMAS BARRY.
A blog which discusses varied topics that are related to the authors many books. Michael is a columnist for CrimeMagazine.com and a reviewer for the New York Journal of Books.
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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Darwood Kaye, Henry Wilcoxon, Dorothy Dandridge

Who was born on this date:

Child actor, Darwood Kaye was born on September 8, 1929 - May 15, 2002) in Fort Collins, Kansas. He was a child actor who is best remembered for his semi-regular role as the snooty rich kid Waldo in the Our Gang serial series from 1937 to 1940. As an adult, Smith became a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, ministering at several churches until his accidental death in 2002. Kaye remained a semi-regular in Our Gang through 1940, by which time production of the series had moved from the Hal Roach studio to MGM. Minor roles in other films included the musical Best Foot Forward with Lucille Ball and Kansas City Kitty, playing the role of "Killer" in both. On May 15, 2002, Kaye was severely injured in a hit and run accident in Riverside, California. He died later that evening at Riverside Community Hospital. His burial location is unknown.

Actor Henry Wilcoxon was born on September 8, 1905 in Roseau, Dominica, British West Indies. He is best known as a leading man in many of Cecil B. DeMille’s films, also serving as DeMille's associate producer on his later films. In 1930, Wilcoxon made his screen debut appearing as "Larry Tindale" in The Perfect Lady, swiftly followed by Self Made Lady. In 1932, he appeared in a remake of the 1929 film The Flying Squad Altogether he made eight films in England prior to 1934. Also in 1933, "while acting on stage in Eight Bells, a talent scout for Paramount Pictures reportedly arranged a screen test which came to the attention of producer-director Cecil B. DeMille in Hollywood. Wilcoxon was next given the lead role of Richard the Lion Heart in DeMille's big-budget film The Crusades(1935). In 1942, he appeared as alongside Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in Lady Hamilton. He released three films in 1942, among them Mrs. Miniver, which received considerable public acclaim, as well as six Academy Awards. Other film credits include Unconquered (1949), A Connecticut Yankee in Kings Arthurs Court (1949), Samson and Delilah (1949), The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), The Ten Commandments (1956), The Buccaneer (1958), and The War Lord (1965). Wilcoxon died on March 6, 1984 from a heart attack in Los Angeles, California. His remains were cremated and given to family with final disposition unknown.

Who died on this date:

On September 8, 1965, actress Dorothy Dandridge died. She was born on November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio. She was the first African-American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. After several minor roles in films, Dandridge, landed her first noted film role in Trazan’s Peril (1951). Dandridge won her first starring role in 1953; playing a teacher in the nearly all-black cast low-budgeted film, Bright Road. In 1954, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for Carmen Jones and in 1959, was nominated for a Golden Globe for Porgy and Bess. Dandridge was married and divorced twice, first to dancer and entertainer Harold Nicholas and then to Jack Denison. Dandridge died of an accidental drug overdose on September 8, 1965 and her ashes are interred at Forest Lawn Glendale.